Aphrodite the Beauty Paperback - 2010

Summary

Excerpt

1
Boy Trouble

APHRODITE SLID INTO HER SEAT IN MR. CyclopsâÈçs Hero-ology class just as the lyrebell sounded, signaling the start of another day at Mount Olympus Academy. As she tucked her long golden hair, which was threaded with pink ribbons, behind her delicate ears, she was aware that every godboy in class was watching her. She hoped that in her rush to get ready that morning she hadnâÈçt smeared lipstick on her teeth. Lifting her chin, she smiled at one of the godboys. Because he was a centaur, and therefore part horse, he stood at the back of the room. With four legs, it was too difficult to sit in a chair. Dazzled by AphroditeâÈçs attention and sparkling blue eyes, he blushed and glanced away.

A few of the bolder godboys continued to gaze at her, however. Their adoration was plain to see. Ignoring them, Aphrodite reached into her bag and took out her Hero-ology textscroll. As the goddessgirl of love and beauty, sheâÈçd grown used to such admiration. Took it for granted in fact. All her life, godboys had found her enchantingly beautiful. It seemed they had only to look at her to fall hopelessly in love. That wasnâÈçt her fault, of course. It was just the way things were.

Aphrodite glanced across the aisle at Athena, trying to get her attention. All week, the class discussions had centered around mortal maidens and youths. She wanted to ask if Athena had heard the intriguing rumors about a maiden on Earth who could run as swift as the wind, faster than any youthâÈ'or even beast. But as usual, her friendâÈçs nose was buried in a textscroll. Before Aphrodite could call out to her, Medusa, who sat directly behind Athena, leaned across the aisle.

Her head writhed with hissing green snakes instead of hair. Their tongues flicked in and out as she poked Aphrodite with one of her long green fingernails. âÈêYou were almost late,âÈë she sneered. âÈêTroubles, Bubbles?âÈë Medusa and her horrible sisters, Stheno and Euryale, never missed an opportunity to use the awful nickname to make fun of AphroditeâÈçs sea foam origins.

âÈêNot really,âÈë Aphrodite muttered. She wasnâÈçt about to admit sheâÈçd overslept. It would only give Medusa another reason to poke fun at her. Probably with jokes about her needing lots of beauty sleep. Fortunately, before her snaky green nemesis could say anything more, Mr. Cyclops finished with a student heâÈçd been speaking to and stood up. As his humongous single eye swept the room, everyone fell silent.

Aphrodite wondered what theyâÈçd be discussing today. Yesterday their teacher had asked how much and what kind of help they thought gods should give to mortals they favored. Aphrodite, who enjoyed helping mortals in love, had hoped to talk about that, but the godboys in class had immediately steered the discussion toward weapons and warâÈ'topics that could never hold her interest for long.

Reaching into her bag again, she pulled out her pink papyrus notepad and began to doodle little hearts all over the front with her favorite red feather pen. Mr. Cyclops cleared his throat. âÈêToday IâÈçd like you to consider the following question,âÈë he said. âÈêNeed mortal maidens always marry?âÈë

Dropping her red feather pen in surprise, Aphrodite sat up straighter. Now this was an engaging question! SheâÈçd like to see the godboys try to make this into a discussion about weapons and war, she thought as she raised her hand high.

âÈêYes, Aphrodite?âÈë asked Mr. Cyclops.

âÈêI wouldnâÈçt want to see any young maiden go unwed,âÈë she said. âÈêEveryone should have a chance to fall in love.âÈë

âÈêBut what if the maiden would rather be alone?âÈë Athena asked. âÈêWhat if she has other interests, like traveling the world, or becoming a first-class scholar, or . . . or inventing things?âÈë

Aphrodite smiled at her. Poor Athena. SheâÈçd never really had a boyfriend. Just wait until she experienced her first crush. SheâÈçd think differently then. âÈêIf the maiden feels that way, then perhaps itâÈçs only because she hasnâÈçt yet found the right youth,âÈë Aphrodite said kindly.

âÈêBut not all youths marry,âÈë Athena pointed out. âÈêSo why should all maidens?âÈë

Poseidon thrust his trident into the air. As always, water dripped from it and him to puddle beneath his chair. âÈêThatâÈçs because many youths prefer the life of a soldier,âÈë he declared.

âÈêThatâÈçs right!âÈë exclaimed another godboy. âÈêWar trumps marriage any day.âÈë

Aphrodite rolled her eyes. âÈêOh, really? And which do you think contributes more to the survival of the human race?âÈë

Mr. Cyclops beamed at her. âÈêGood point.âÈë

Just then the school intercom crackled to life. âÈêAttention, godboys and goddessgirls!âÈë thundered Principal Zeus in a deafeningly loud voice. Everyone, including Mr. Cyclops, automatically reached up to cover their ears. âÈêA special assembly on chariot safety starts in ten minutes. Please make your way to the auditorium.âÈë

Looking somewhat annoyed, Mr. Cyclops muttered something about unwarranted interruptions to class time. But then, with a sigh, he said, âÈêAll right, everyone. Please line up at the door.âÈë

Normally, Aphrodite would have welcomed a chance to get out of class, but not today. Not when the topic of discussion was such an interesting one. Besides, the chariot safety assembly was repeated every year, and it was deadly dull. Who among them didnâÈçt know that racing into a turn could cause a chariot to tip over? Duh. Or that you shouldnâÈçt ever fly directly into the sun?

After the assembly, which Zeus had livened up with a real demonstration of racing chariots for a change, it was time for lunch. Aphrodite was starved. As she stood in the cafeteria line with Athena and their other two best friends, dark-haired Artemis and pale-skinned Persephone, her stomach began to rumble like a volcano about to erupt.

Her friends laughed. âÈêSomebodyâÈçs hungry,âÈë said Artemis.

Aphrodite blushed. âÈêYes, very.âÈë She didnâÈçt say it loudly, but considering the response, she might just as well have shouted it. A dozen godboys in line ahead of her whipped around at the sound of her voice, eager to get her attention.

âÈêYou can have my spot, Aphrodite!âÈë yelled Poseidon from ten spaces up the line.

He took a step toward her, dripping water onto another godboyâÈçs sandal-clad feet. Ares, who was the cutest godboy in school in AphroditeâÈçs opinion, glowered at him. âÈêWatch where youâÈçre dripping, Fishface!âÈë Droplets of water flew as he shook one foot and then the other. Poseidon glowered back, his mouth opening and closing like a fishâÈçs.

Ignoring him, Ares turned toward Aphrodite. âÈêTake my place,âÈë he said with a charming smile. âÈêI insist.âÈë

Aphrodite hesitated. Ares could be a bit of a bully at times, but she had to admit there was something about him she found . . . well, irresistible. He was just so muscular, so blond, and so blue eyed. Smiling uncertainly, she took a step in his direction.

Athena grabbed AphroditeâÈçs elbow. âÈêSurely youâÈçre not going to take him up on that,âÈë she said in a low voice that Ares couldnâÈçt hear. âÈêIt wouldnâÈçt be fair to the other goddessgirls in line ahead of us.âÈë

âÈêOh. I guess youâÈçre right,âÈë said Aphrodite. SheâÈçd just stepped back in line when a godboy named Atlas called out. âÈêHey, Aphrodite! Come stand by me!âÈë Flexing his bulging biceps, he picked up the scrawny godboy next to him and held him over his head. âÈêYou can have HephaestusâÈçs place.âÈë

Squirming this way and that, Hephaestus protested. âÈêPut me down, you big ox.âÈë

Aphrodite sighed. âÈêFor the love of Zeus! Leave him alone, Atlas.âÈë

Atlas shrugged. âÈêIf you say so.âÈë He set Hephaestus down, but not before a fight broke out between Poseidon and Ares.

âÈêGodness!âÈë exclaimed Persephone, anxiously twisting a red curl around her index finger. âÈêSomeoneâÈçs going to get hurt!âÈë

Frowning, Aphrodite took a step toward the boys. âÈêPersephoneâÈçs right. Stop it! What are youâÈ'in kindergarten?âÈë

Sheepishly, the two godboys separated. In a voice as lovely as she was, but which permitted no argument, she said, âÈêI appreciate the offers, but IâÈçll wait my turn like everyone else.âÈë

Ten minutes later, when she was seated at last with her three goddessgirl friends at their favorite table in the lunchroom, Aphrodite dipped her spoon into the delicious yambrosia. After sheâÈçd taken only a bite or two, however, she shoved the bowl away, too annoyed to finish in spite of her hunger.

âÈêFull already?âÈë asked Artemis, as she dug with gusto into her own bowl. Her three dogs, a bloodhound, a greyhound, and a beagle, lay at her feet. They accompanied her everywhere.

âÈêNo, just fed up with godboys,âÈë Aphrodite declared. âÈêTheyâÈçre so obsessed with weapons and war. They even battle for my attention!âÈë

âÈêPoor you,âÈë Persephone teased between sips of nectar. âÈêA lot of goddessgirls would die to have godboys notice them.âÈë As an afterthought, she added, âÈêBut of course they canâÈçt, since theyâÈçre all immortal.âÈë

Athena set down the shimmery blue Beauty-ology textscroll sheâÈçd been scanning as she ate. With a puzzled look she said to Aphrodite, âÈêBut I thought you liked the attention.âÈë

Aphrodite shrugged. âÈêNot really. If another godboy offers to carry my scrolls or to help me with my homework just one more time today, I swear IâÈçll scream!âÈë

âÈêReally?âÈë Athena leaned forward, her brows knit. âÈêBut in Hero-ology class you said that everyone should have the chance to fall in love.âÈë

âÈêI was talking about mortals,âÈë said Aphrodite. âÈêAnd anyway, just because a godboy fusses over you, it doesnâÈçt mean heâÈçs in love with you.âÈë Indeed, she couldnâÈçt help wondering if the handsome young godboys who fluttered around her like moths to a flame might disappear in a flash if she werenâÈçt beautiful. There was no way to know because sheâÈçd always been . . . well . . . naturally pretty.

âÈêBut most girls like it when boys fuss over them,âÈë Athena persisted. She seemed oddly interested in the topic given her protest that âÈêsome maidensâÈë would rather be left alone to study.

Aphrodite raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows. âÈêIf I didnâÈçt know any better, IâÈçd think maybe you wanted to be fussed over.âÈë

âÈêWho me? Ha!âÈë said Athena. âÈêThatâÈçs the last thing on my mind,âÈë she murmured as she buried her nose in her Beauty-ology scroll again.

Aphrodite traded amused glances with Persephone and Artemis, who then quickly moved on to talk about other things. But Aphrodite only half listened as she stared at AthenaâÈçs bent head. A straight-A student, Athena was easily the brightest of the four friends. She was also the youngest, though they were all in the same grade. Until this moment, Athena had never shown any curiosity about godboys, and they in turn, probably sensing her indifference, overlooked her.

Athena glanced up from her textscroll. âÈêWhat?âÈë she asked. âÈêWhy are you staring at me like that?âÈë

âÈêNo reason,âÈë Aphrodite said lightly. But as Athena returned to her textscroll, the wheels in AphroditeâÈçs brain began to spin faster than the racing chariot Zeus had driven in assembly that morning. Within moments she concluded that Athena hadin fact been hinting that sheâÈçd welcome the attention of godboys. And while Aphrodite might be fed up with godboysâÈç annoying antics, she loved stirring up romance for others! True, things hadnâÈçt worked out so well between Paris and HelenâÈ'that pesky Trojan War and allâÈ'but at least sheâÈçd tried to set them up.

ThatâÈçs it! she thought excitedly. If she could help mortals find love, then why not a goddessgirl, too? She could use her talents to help Athena find her first crush! But she would need a game plan.

Aphrodite drummed her well-manicured, powder-pink-polished fingernails on the tabletop, sneaking glances at AthenaâÈçs long, unstyled, brown hair. At her face free of makeup. At her frumpy, plain white chiton. Suddenly an idea came to her. A makeover! That was exactly what her friend needed to make MOAâÈçs godboys sit up and take notice.

Now that sheâÈçd come up with a plan, Aphrodite couldnâÈçt wait to get started!

Âû 2010 Joan Holub